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Barely 3% of Britain’s most powerful and influential people are from black and minority ethnic groups, according to a broad new analysis that highlights startling inequality despite decades of legislation to address discrimination. From a list of just over 1,000 of the UK’s top political, financial, judicial, cultural and security figures drawn up by the Guardian in partnership with Operation Black Vote and in consultation with academics, only 36 (3.4%) were from ethnic minorities (BAME)....

Germany’s Federal Criminal Police (BKA) are illegally storing masses of data regarding supposed “politically motivated crimes.” As broadcaster ARD reported, data on more than 100,000 people accused of such offenses is being held in a database called “Internal Security,” even though in the vast majority of cases, there has never been a charge, let alone a court proceeding. The ARD report suggests that the BKA is operating a “blacklist” of journalists and political activists classified as “...

Activists documenting the alleged ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Burma are reportedly having their Facebook posts removed and their accounts suspended. Rohingya people who use Facebook to share information about attacks have called on the company to stop silencing them, the Daily Beast reports.

A mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims has sparked allegations of ethnic cleansing, with the UN's High Commissioner of Human Rights calling the operations against them a "textbook example...

Germany acknowledges its responsibility for World War II and the "unspeakable crimes" committed by the Nazi regime, said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert on Friday. On the issue of reparations, however, Seibert pointed to the 1953 deal where Poland relinquished its right to compensation. "From our perspective, this issue was settled in a definitive manner, both politically and legally," he added.

Several Polish politicians have disputed the 1953 accord, saying that it was...

Al Jazeera’s Jerusalem bureau chief has been banned from a state-sponsored event on freedom of speech at the request of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it has emerged. The prime minister's office order that Walid Al-Omar was prevented from attending the seminar, the government press office confirmed on Thursday. “The prime minister instructed that legal steps be taken to deny press passes of all Al Jazeera journalists working in Israel and to close their offices in Israel,” the...

The leading churches in Jerusalem issued a rare joint statement Tuesday condemning what they called "systematic" Israeli attempts to "weaken the Christian presence" in the city. The statement, signed by the heads of the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Lutheran and other churches, condemned an Israeli court decision allowing a pro-settlement group to take control of church land in a mainly Palestinian area of annexed east Jerusalem, as well as a bill in the Israeli parliament relating to...

Myanmar has been laying landmines across a section of its border with Bangladesh for the past three days, according to reports citing two government sources in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka. The sources say the purpose may be to prevent the return of Rohingya Muslims fleeing the violence. Bangladesh will on Wednesday formally lodge a protest against the laying of landmines so close to the border, the sources - who had direct knowledge of the situation but asked not to be named because of...

As tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees stream across Myanmar’s border with Bangladesh, the Myanmar army’s commander-in-chief has defended clearing Rohingya villages as an essential step in rooting out a small band of militants armed with little more than spears or knives. Myanmar has come under criticism for its actions in Rakhine State, a narrow strip of land across its national border. Since a small group of militants launched attacks against government outposts there on Aug. 25,...

Actress Penelope Cruz and her husband Javier Bardem have roused the fury of Hollywood producers, with pledges made to snub the Spanish couple. Oscar-winner Bardem and Cruz signed an open letter speaking against "the genocide perpetrated by the Israeli occupation army". The letter accused Israel of "advancing on Palestinian territories instead of withdrawing to the 1967 borders. "Gaza is living through horror… while the international community does nothing." The Spanish letter was signed by...

At least 123,000 Rohingya have fled from western Myanmar into neighboring Bangladesh since late last month, the United Nations said on Tuesday, as a military crackdown has destroyed villages and killed hundreds. In recent days, a constant stream of desperate people has marched through muddy fields while attempting to escape the violence. At least 46 Rohingya died last week when boats capsized while crossing a river between the two countries, the Bangladeshi authorities said.

Some 15 Gaza residents have died since the start of 2017 after Israel denied terminally ill patients the necessary permits to travel outside the besieged Strip for medical treatment. Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights revealed the figures in a statement yesterday, condemning the Israeli blockade on the coastal enclave that has resulted in its healthcare service being brought “to its knees”, in the words of the World Health Organisation. Al-Mezan cited the cases of two women who were refused...

The Nebraska prison system, plagued by years of overcrowding, staff turnover, unrest and violence, has been hit by a lawsuit filed by representatives of the inmates confined in its largest facilities. The lawsuit charges conditions at both men’s and women’s prisons amount to unconstitutional punishment. The lawsuit filed against the Department of Correctional Services calls the state prisons in Nebraska “a dangerous system in perpetual crisis.” Prisoners asking for a hearing claim they are...

A baby dolphin died after being passed around and photographed by tourists who found it stranded at a busy Spanish beach. Curious holidaymakers flocked to examine the calf - some of them taking selfies with the creature - after it washed up in Mojácar, Almeira. They were criticised by a marine wildlife rescue group, which said the dolphin would have been "terrified" and may have been saved if beach-goers been quicker to alert authorities. Pictures emerged of bathers stroking the tiny mammal...

Modern slavery and human trafficking are more prevalent across Britain than previously thought as more international gangs realize they can make significant sums from it, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Thursday. The NCA said there were 300 live police operations into forced labor, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, problems which it said affected every large town and city across the country. "We've been shocked by the extent of it," Will Kerr, the NCA's officer in charge of...

Seven civil defense volunteers were shot dead in north-eastern Syria on Saturday, according to a Syrian paramedic group. A spokesman for the Syrian Civil Defense group said gunmen stormed their camp in the town of Sarmin in Idlib province. "The attackers stole two ambulances, helmets and communication devices," Hossam Halaq told Anadolu Agency. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Popularly known as White Helmets, the Syrian Civil Defense group is active in...